Digital Equity
Click here to download the slide deck from the presentation above.
Click here for the FAQs for the Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program.
Cook County Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program
Existing research from the American Communities Survey shows that nearly half (43%) of unconnected Illinois households reside in Cook County. Furthermore, 17% of Black and Latinx households in Cook County lack a computer. By advancing the digital equity goals of digital infrastructure, digital proficiency, digital accessibility, and digital security and safety, Cook County residents can actively and equitably participate in the Internet economy. Cook County conducted an intensive outreach and engagement process around digital equity, including document reviews and research, a community survey, community conversations, and interviews. The data helped to inform Cook County's first-ever Digital Equity Action Plan (DEAP), prioritizing resident input as the primary driver of strategic direction. The DEAP focuses on four digital equity cornerstones: Access, Confidence, Safety, and Infrastructure.
For each cornerstone, the plan proposes a set of IMPACT (Innovative, Measurable, Purposeful, Actionable, Collaborative, and Timely) solutions. These solutions are not just the product of our research and analysis, but also the result of extensive collaboration between the Cook County government and regional partners. They are designed to be impactful right now and in the long term, to address the intersection of diverse community needs, and to lay the groundwork for long-term success.
To further advance digital equity action and address gaps through alignment with the Digital Equity Action Plan, the Cook County Office of the President and City Bureau have partnered to co-design, coordinate, and implement activities for the first-ever Cook County Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program that focuses on digital equity and storytelling. This Program funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), benefits from City Bureau's expertise as a journalism lab that is reimagining local media. Their mission aligns with Cook County, as they equip people with skills and resources, engage in critical public conversations, and produce information that directly addresses people's needs.
GRANT PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The Cook County Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program will help to:
• Provide resources and add capacity to existing Suburban Cook County organizations (excluding Chicago) that implement digital equity activities.
• Encourage pilot programming that aligns with one or more IMPACT solution recommendations. (e.g., partnering with a local laundromat to provide free Wi-Fi for customers, hosting digital skills game nights that build comfort and confidence with technology, creating a digital equity asset map for your community, or starting a training series at your local library, school, or church about financial literacy and online safety. These are just a few examples to help inspire.)
• Build partnerships with local media, journalists, and storytellers to capture, create, and share content to strengthen and expand digital inclusion access and equity information.
• Grow the digital equity ecosystem in Cook County, by establishing a community of practice that fosters collaboration, shares best practices, and drives collective impact. By building a supportive network, we can enhance the effectiveness of individual projects and contribute to broader digital equity objectives across the region.
ELIGIBILITY
Nonprofit organizations that serve Suburban Cook County and are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code are eligible to apply. Newer or smaller nonprofit organizations that utilize a fiscal agent or partner with a more established nonprofit organization are also eligible to apply.
OPPORTUNITY
The Cook County Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program has TWO grant levels:
BOOST for new smaller-scale projects ($7,500) - 5 grants total
EMPOWERMENT for existing larger-scale projects ($15,000) - 10 grants total
Grant Recipients will be required to submit a detailed budget following award selections. This step underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in the use of grant funds. The submitted budget should clearly outline projected expenses and demonstrate alignment with the project’s goals and objectives, ensuring that resources are effectively utilized to advance the organization’s project and Cook County’s digital equity initiatives.
The performance and participation period is one year (1 year), with the potential opportunity for renewal. Grant renewal is contingent upon the availability of funding, successful achievement of project goals, demonstrated impact, and continued alignment with the objectives of enhancing digital equity. Grant Recipients are encouraged to showcase measurable progress and outcomes, as these will play a crucial role in the evaluation for any possible extension of funding.
SCORING
The scoring system for the Cook County Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program application evaluates applicants through four key questions, each designed to assess their alignment with the grant's objectives. Each question is scored on a scale from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree, with the potential to earn up to 25 points per question. This results in a maximum total score of 100 points. The scoring reflects the applicant's commitment to advancing digital equity, with higher scores indicating a stronger alignment with the grant's core goals of enhancing access, confidence, safety, and infrastructure, while incorporating storytelling. The cumulative score is used to determine the overall strength and competitiveness of the application, guiding funding decisions to support impactful projects.
KEY DATES
10/11/24 Application Opens
10/17/24 Webinar
Please register at https://bit.ly/digitalequityimpactgrant
11/15/24 Applications Due
11/29/24 Award Recipients Notified
12/16/24 Awardees Announced
CONTACT
Please submit all questions to cookcountydigitalequity@cookcountyil.gov. For transparency and fairness, all questions received will be published on a Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs) document every Friday, with the last FAQ document published on November 8, 2024.
Click here to download the Cook County Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program application.
APPLICATION
Name of organization
Organization's Website
Name of Organizational Contact
Email of Organizational Contact
Are you a nonprofit organization that is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or are you a local Illinois nonprofit organization with a fiscal agent or established nonprofit partners in good standing?
What Suburban Cook County Community or Communities do you serve or want to serve?
Describe your organization's role in advancing digital equity in Cook County? (25 points) Maximum of 4000 characters
Which grant opportunity are you applying for?
- Boost
- EmpowermentSelect which of the four digital equity cornerstones (Access, Confidence, Safety, and Infrastructure) best describes what your proposed project will address. Your proposed project may address more than one cornerstone, but please only identify one cornerstone that aligns the most with your project. For full definitions of each cornerstone, please review the Cook County Digital Equity Action Plan. https://www.cookcountyil.gov/sites/g/files/ywwepo161/files/documents/2023-10/FINAL-Cook%20County%20DE%20Plan_pages.pdf
Which IMPACT Solution best aligns with your proposed project?
Please select one. For more details on each IMPACT Solution, review the Cook County Digital Equity Action Plan.Cornerstone 1: Accessibility
IMPACT Solution: Low-Cost and Subsidized Internet Plans
IMPACT Solution: Expand Public Wi-Fi
IMPACT Solution: High-Quality Device Access
Cornerstone 2: Confidence
IMPACT Solution: Digital Navigator Corps Partnership
IMPACT Solution: Reimagining the Future of Work with Technology
IMPACT Solution: Build the Learning Ecosystem
Cornerstone 3: Safety
IMPACT Solution: Digital Safety Help Line Operated by Community Helpdesks
IMPACT Solution: Holistic Safety and Security Education and Training
IMPACT Solution: Digital Safety Alerts from County
Cornerstone 4: Infrastructure
IMPACT Solution: Create a Plan to Improve and Strategically Expand Infrastructure
IMPACT Solution: Infrastructure Asset Mapping
IMPACT Solution: Create an Accountability Process for All Service Providers on Price and Performance
Describe your organization's proposed project to advance one or more of Cook County's digital equity cornerstones. (25 Points)
Maximum of 4000 characters
Your response should include:
- Clearly defined project objectives- Target Audience
- Outreach and engagement strategy
- Description of activities
- IMPACT Outcomes (Innovative, Measurable, Purposeful, Actionable, Collaborative, and Timely)Explain how storytelling will be integrated into your project. Describe how you envision including personal narratives or community stories to highlight the impact of your project and promote digital equity awareness. (25 Points) Maximum of 4000 characters
- Describe how your organization’s proposed project will help build vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities where people want to live, learn, work and play. Inclusive communities are environments that include diversity, equity, and accessibility, ensuring that every individual, regardless of background or ability, has equal opportunities to engage, contribute, and flourish. (25 Points) Maximum of 4000 characters
Please share a link (YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) to a three-minute video about how your proposed project addresses digital opportunity gaps in the specific community or communities you serve. Video is optional but highly desired by the review panel. Video must be filmed in landscape mode and does not need to be professionally filmed or edited. Please keep videos under three minutes. The video is your opportunity to share your story. Be creative and have fun with it!
- How would you rate the ease of navigating the grant application process? Please select one of the following options:
- Very Difficult
- Difficult
- Neutral
- Easy
- Very Easy
President Preckwinkle Announces First-Ever Digital Equity Action Plan to Bridge Digital Divide in Cook County
Action Plan and Interactive Digital Equity Map Released in Celebration of Digital Inclusion Week
In celebration of Digital Inclusion Week 2023, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle released Cook County’s first-ever Digital Equity Action Plan. The plan offers a strategic framework to ensure that all Cook County residents have equitable access to the digital infrastructure, devices and tools to thrive in today’s economy and society. It also invites residents, businesses and community organizations to collaboratively build impactful solutions in the areas of digital accessibility, confidence, safety and security, and infrastructure. To kick off Digital Inclusion Week, Cook County’s Bureau of Technology also released an interactive Digital Equity Map which allows residents to gain insights about digital access in their communities.
